Never ever use peat anything and you will be safe. They are going to look great in that large pot with 3-5 rocks. Happy Growing!

Brad

I think peat based mixes can be good if you know what you are doing and for certain situations. I would consider myself to be above average when it comes to caring for succulents so I am not afraid to use it if it will have certain benefits.

-Erica

Grit based only.

Josh

Erica, if you are comfortable using peat in a mix, then by all means use it. It's going to hold more water than gritty mix and succulents like to be drier during freezing temperatures. Commercial growers use lots of peat in mixes for plants in small pots in a temperature-controlled greenhouses to encourage rapid growth. Your objective for the next six months is simply survival in some rather nasty conditions. Rapid growth won't happen until next Spring.

I'm no expert and appreciate the opinions of others. I don't want to rule something out completely just because some people swear by never using peat. I also enjoy discussing with and challenging others to gain new knowledge.

-Erica

Erica

I agree with Brad - if you feel comfortable as you say and see some benefit, use it.

I grow most of semps outdoors in containers of plastic, few terracota and even glazed, large oval bonsai container. Years ago when started, I was loosing some since I used peaty bagged soil. Ever since switching to grittier mix (not 'classic' gritty with bark), all survive. And I am in z5a - def. worse winters than yours (and I like my life easier - not to worry about things that I have control over:)

Rina

Use what you feel comfortable with, I prefer gritty mix with most succulents. Get some kind of screen at the bottom so your medium doesnt run out, or if you're planning on keeping the pot fixed in one spot for an extended period of time you are good!

Happy Growing!

Thanks, Rina. I think we have a very similar mix. I was mostly worried about how the mix would be affected during the freeze. When do yours typically go dormant?

-Erica

Thanks, Minty. I have 2x2 plastic screens that I use to cover holes, I love them!

-Erica

Semps "eat' (if kept outside) everything. So a peat/grittymix will do fine.

Harry

a picture because they are so nice

This is S. 'Tracy Sue'

Erica

I can't tell you exactly when they go dormant - I really don't watch them so closely. They stay where they were whole year and cope with whatever winter brings. In spring, after all snow is gone, I just clean all dried up leaves and that's all I do for them.

Edit: I just re-read your post, you are asking about gritty freezing. If it is gritty/well draining mix, there really won't be any excessive water sitting there to freeze.

Harry grows many in pots and I believe many in ground - listen to his advice; his zone is bit warmer, but I believe that he gets more rain? - Harry, is that right? And his beds are very well draining. In ground is just little different than in containers.

Rina

Thanks, Harry. I always enjoy seeing your Semps.

I wish I could grow mine in the ground but I'm not planning on staying here.

I was wondering how, if at all, a medium affects the root system when it freezes. Does peat provide some insulation or protection, does it compact and freeze around the roots, does it matter at all since the plant is dormant?

-Erica

Erica

But they are easy to dig out and move!..just in case you want them in ground.

I would say that it is water-retentive medium versus well-draining medium. I don't see any problem adding small amounts of peat (I like coco peat more). It's that your title suggest using peat just about exclusively - which most (if not all) of us wouldn't. Even in ground it could totally dry up, or remain too wet - depends on surrounding soil.

Any plant potted in well draining medium will survive winter better: water drains, and the thaw-freeze cycle won't have chance of happening. Or frozen muck at the bottom. So yes, water-logged medium will affect roots just the same as it would during warmer times of the year. Dormant or not dormant - if roots get damaged, it is a problem. Some ppl worry about plants freezing if in pots: that is, to quite an extent true but if one pays attention to hardiness zone, even that could be managed. Generally, it is advised to overwinter potted plants that are about 2 zones hardier than zone you are in. Most Semps are hardy to z3, some even z2. And depending on location of pot, it could be pushed considerably. I forgot to mention that I also have a cement container with semps in it, they are there for at least 5 years, still alive.

Rina

im drunk but: i have killed semps in grit. their roots dry up to nothing. idk if it's just me or what, but i'm really wishing i left some of my current semps in their original mix rn . . .maybe that will change as they grow but idk. of course, a lot of people who have commented are a lot more experienced than me, so maybe i'm just not being careful enough when I repot and am breaking off too many roots? idk

Right on Harry!

Lol true Harry...not feeling so great about my decisions this morning

K8, dryness is a legitimate concern of mine with Semps in a gritty mix. If I had bark I would use the traditional 1:1:1 mix but I don't have any left. I might add a bit more turface to my current mix for this reason.

Rina, thanks for your input. I do value the knowledge and experience you have and I think I will go with no peat. Always a safer bet with succulents, I know.

I still haven't gotten the rocks I want to put around the top but am about to go pot them now. Will post pictures when I return! ☺️

-Erica

So I ended up finding some bark in my shed but not enough for the 1:1:1 to fill my pot. I added some perlite, a little granite, and turface until I achieved the desired rententiveness.

I ended up having to fill the top of the pot in with my usual perlite, turface, granite mix because I didn't make enough of this mix to fill the pot.

It was a challenge cleaning off the roots from the plants I got. They were all root bound and some had some black rotting leaves tucked deep underneath.

Finally got them all cleaned up.

I laid them out how I wanted them in the pot and then filled the mix in around them. I plan on removing some of the mix when I find the rocks I want that I will use as a top layer. But, this is it for now.

From top right going clockwise: Sempervivum 'Fame', Sempervivum 'Fame' monstrose, Sempervivum tectorum 'Trist', two undientified (any ideas Harry?), and in the center Sempervivum 'Grey Dawn'.

-Erica

Hello Erica,

To try I need close-ups. The differences are sometimes so little.

Harry

Will get some later Harry. Thanks!

-Erica

Erica- you're such a radical, lol and brave too! Will you cover them if temps drop too low by you or is it an easy matter to take in and provide shelter? I don't know if this matters or if this is a totally dumb question but, are the lighter colored semps LESS cold-hearty?

I wouldn't cover them - but I am not sure what you mean by 'cover'.

They really are cold hardy, I am speaking from personal experience growing semps in Europe and in Canada for many years. They can be covered by snow (that is a good insulator), and as long as they don't sit in muck, they will be better for it.

They look little ratty after the winter - but any perennial does. I just clean up dry leaves and that's it. Otherwise they get what Mother Nature gives them (no fert from me!)

Here are couple of photos from early spring - this is the 'worst' they look - and you can see they are still in pots! - and they are plain plastic pots. No extra cover or anything. Same pots spent last two (2013 and 2014) winters in zone 5a (I used to live in 6a) and there is no problem. Pls. don't over-baby them; give them good drainage and enjoy...

Rina

edited to add: Harry is in warmer zone, but he said they get lots of rain. You have seen his beautiful semps - planted in ground and in pots. With lots of rain, drainage is as important as with snow.

I agree with Rina on leaving them to nature. It is unbelievable how hardy Sempervivums are. I do not plan on covering them, or otherwise protecting them during the winter. They will however, more than likely remain under the porch. They may get some snow being up against the edge but I don't foresee much accumulation. As you know Neil, SE PA winters are always different. I have lived here all my life, with the exception of the few years I spent in the Army, and no two winters were alike! It is always really cold though.

As for the colors being affected differently; I do not believe so. I have seen a lot of colorful Semps turn more green in their dormant months and then regain their wonderful colors with the sun of the warmer months.

I left some out last winter and aside from some dried up leaves, they bounced back better than ever. I also brought some inside and I really think the ones that were outside did better. They use so much energy during the warmer months that they really need some dormant time to rest. I do have some planted in the ground as well that are out in the open but just planted them this year.

-Erica